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£107m winner's car dream comes true

A car mechanic who went from oily rags to riches after scooping the £107.9 million Euromillions jackpot plans to buy a fleet of supercars with his new-found fortune.

Neil Trotter, from Coulsdon, south London, plans to upgrade his oil-stained Ford Focus with some flashier cars, including a McLaren.

But first on the shopping list is a new house, with ample garage space.

The 41-year-old h ot rod racer, w ho runs a repair garage in Mitcham, south London, called Chameleon Coachworks, became the National Lottery's fourth biggest winner on Friday night.

The self-confessed motor racing fanatic now plans to hang up his car mechanic overalls and follow his passion for British touring car racing.

Mr Trotter anticipates that some people might joke about his surname and him becoming a millionaire.

"Me and my dad thought we'd heard all the Only Fools And Horses jokes but I can see this is going to run and run," he said.

"Still, being Trotters, we were always going to be millionaires one day."

Mr Trotter was so confident he would win a prize that he told staff at his father's office last Friday lunchtime that "this time tomorrow" he would be a multimillionaire.

He learnt he was the single ticket-holder to scoop the massive jackpot on Friday evening at around 10.30pm.

He said: "I've always thought I'd win big and I'd had a good feeling all week.

"On Friday evening we were sitting at home when I checked the time and thought the draw must have taken place by now.

"I took out my ticket to check the winning numbers and amazingly one by one they matched. I told Nicky, my partner, 'I've done it, I've won the lottery'. But she told me to shut up and to stop being an idiot.

"Apparently I turned white as a sheet and couldn't sit still, I kept walking round the house - I didn't know what to do with myself. I got her to check the numbers with me and she started screaming.

"Next we called my dad but he said I was being an idiot too and that I should stop drinking. But I hadn't had a drop. Even when we jumped in the car and drove round, it took him a while to realise we were serious. My dad's not often lost for words but he was on Friday night."

Mr Trotter and Nicky Ottaway, 33, his partner of eight years, finally headed for bed at around 3am but had a restless night before calling Camelot first thing on Saturday.

They have already made plans to spend some of their fortune on cars, a new home and a holiday abroad - as soon as Mr Trotter has renewed his passport.

"I drive a Ford Focus at the moment. It's always been reliable but the steering wheel is black from oil off my hands and it's time for an upgrade," he said.

"There are a lot of stunning cars out there - I'm going to need a lot of garage space at the new house. I would love to own a hypercar - that would be amazing. Something like the McLaren, although I'm not sure how easy they are to get hold of."

Mr Trotter came sixth last summer in the BMW Compact Cup as a newcomer.

He said: "I worked my last shift on Friday repairing and spraying other people's cars.

"I have a few phone calls to make to let people down but this is my time now. I'm taking time off and going to really enjoy following the British Touring Car Championships.

"It's my passion and I wouldn't mind a guest driver slot if I can find the right car. I was building one up until last week but I'm thinking of taking a rest from that too."

As well as a enormous garage, the couple's new home needs to include stables.

Ms Ottaway, who works as an accounts assistant, loves riding and would like to buy a new horse or even two, plus a horse trailer.

The EuroMillions Lucky Dip ticket was bought from Londis on Wallington Corner in Wallington and the winning numbers were 6, 24, 25, 27, 30 and Lucky Stars 5 and 9.

Top of the National Lottery rich list are Colin and Chris Weir, who banked a £161 million EuroMillions jackpot in July 2011.

The couple told a press conference in Dorking, Surrey, that they celebrated on Friday night with two bottles of Budweiser beer.

Since confirming the win, they have already been to view some vehicles.

"We've been out and looked at a few cars," Mr Trotter said.

"But people give you the look like you haven't got enough money to buy them."

Ms Ottaway said she had had a similar experience when looking at a new handbag.

She said: "I asked the sales guy how much it was and he said '£1,100' but had already turned his back and was walking away from us. We just thought 'Fine, we won't buy it then'."

She said she had resigned from her job first thing this morning.

Mr Trotter's father, Jim, 69, said his son had been seeking advice about the money, even asking the bank to copy him in to emails about his account.

The older man added: "But he told them 'He isn't going to be a signatory on the account', which was very wise."

Mr Trotter has made plans to help out his sister, saying: "My little sister is quite struggling so I have offered to help her out and buy her a house. She won't stop crying."

Mr Trotter said he plans to spend some of the money on his family.

His 10-year-old daughter from a previous relationship will get a pony, he said.

Her mother is on honeymoon in Mexico with her new husband, who works for Formula One boss Bernie Ecclestone, and was told of his win via a text message.

Mr Trotter said: "She said 'That's just typical of you, Trotter'."

He plans to give his sister, who is ill and unable to work, £500,000 for a new house.

"She has two children and a husband who works really hard. She is ill so she cannot work. They are in a two-bed house with toys everywhere and not enough room to swing a cat."

Mr Trotter also revealed that he has already inquired about buying his dream car - an £866,000, 217mph McLaren P1 supercar - but his plans have been thwarted because all the ones made have been sold already.

There was a light-hearted atmosphere at the Londis supermarket in Wallington, Surrey, where Mr Trotter bought the winning ticket.

Pinakin Patel, who has worked at the shop for six months, said they had found out about the win last night when Camelot rang to tell them the news.

He said he wasn't aware of any other big wins at the store.

"It's nice, isn't it?" he said. "We have had a lot of people coming in and talking about it."

Leigh Ann Miller, 40, a customer, said: "I have won £25 or so occasionally but I just see it as £2 to charity and if I win, I win. Goodness knows what he is going to do with £108 million. Good luck to him."

Psychology student Stefan Livingston, 18, from Wallington, and a regular buyer of Euromillions tickets, confessed to a feeling of "slight envy" on hearing of Mr Trotter's win.

Emerging from the Londis supermarket where the lucky ticket was sold, he said: "It would have been nice to have won just a quarter of that. I could have paid off my university fees. £108 million is certainly something - it's the luck of the draw, I guess."

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